ELZUBI called for shifting from measuring stock volume to assessing the readiness of the entire food security system — including replenishment speed, diversification of import sources, supply chain flexibility, private sector responsiveness, and logistical capacity in emergencies.

“The comfortable state of our food security is not accidental. Four out of five indicators are moving in the right direction or holding steady at low levels. This reflects resilience in our system, even as regional challenges intensify. Jordan’s position today is one of relative stability — a reassuring signal that our food security remains intact.”

The market does not have sufficient alternative sources to absorb the gap in the short term. This is a structural fragility in global food supply chains, not merely a seasonal incident. We are not talking about a passing price shock that can be absorbed within a single season.”

ELZUBI further stressed that 70–75% of food costs arise after the farm gate, tied to transport and energy, underscoring the importance of integrating food, energy, and logistics security to stabilize prices and strengthen sustainability.

Acknowledging this divergence leads to the key conclusion: readiness is measured by the shortest link, not the longest. In a scenario of port closure or severe congestion lasting three months, wheat and barley would comfortably withstand the shock, while sugar and vegetable oils would approach their limits. Hence the critical questions imposed by the readiness framework: What if ports are disrupted or unloading delayed? What if freight and insurance costs double within weeks? What if a single major supplier halts? How diversified are import sources for each commodity individually, not just for the basket as a whole? How long is the full cycle from tender to warehouse delivery? And what is the private sector’s actual financial capacity to finance additional stock if required? These are questions that months of sufficiency figures cannot answer, yet they determine outcomes in a real crisis.